Roman cuisine is known for being very simple, exceedingly flavorful and very satisfying. Many of the foods are prepared in creative ways using only a handful of ingredients. From pasta dishes, cured meats, pastries, offal stews and even pizza, you can be sure to expect something different from what you’re accustomed to back home.
With so many mouth watering meals to choose from it can be difficult to determine the best foods to eat while in Rome and the ones to ignore. To help you out we have compiled a list of 5 foods guaranteed to make your Italian indulging experience a highly pleasurable one.
- Carbonara
Carbonara is a dish made primarily from pasta, bacon and eggs. According to the ancient Romans, the dish was first invented by charcoal burners who worked outside the city for months at a time and had very few food supplies.
Due to their limited options they combined this trio to come up with what is known today as Carbonara. Over time, the dish has evolved to include other ingredients such as black pepper, tomato sauce, basil, asparagus e.t.c. It is considered one of Rome’s top dishes and is available in virtually every restaurant.
- Focaccia
Focaccia is considered to be one of the best appetizers or snack foods in Rome. It is basically bread that is baked using Italian yeast in rectangular pans to give it a block shape. Unlike conventional bread, the dough is flavored with sea salt and olive oil.
After baking, small dimples are made on the surface of the bread onto which the baker tops olives, herbs, tomatoes, green onions, mushrooms e.t.c. The crunchy wheat crust and the resulting sweet flavor from the combination of olive oil, salt and spices has made this food very popular throughout Rome and all of Italy.
- Porchetta
If you’re a huge fan of pork you might want to consider trying Porchetta – which is basically a de-boned piglet that has been stuffed with herbs and garlic, roasted and made into a sandwich. The pork is roasted on a metallic support in specific temperatures.
This causes a crispy crust to form on the outside which insulates heat and causes the herbs and spices used to merge into a flavorful paste. The result: one of the best tasting meat dishes you’ll ever eat.
- Risotto
Risotto is simply Italian rice that has been prepared in a broth with ingredients such as meat, seafood and vegetables. The dish is prepared through toasting and creaming. Vegetables are heated in a pan with oil and then the Italian rice is added and cooked until it turns translucent. At this stage; hot stock i.e. liquid from simmering meats, can be added to the rice.
Depending on the risotto, wine can also be added among other additives. The risotto is continuously stirred until everything is absorbed. This indicates the dish is done. Although risotto might not look enticing this dish is a classic that must not be overlooked.
- Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
This is a spaghetti dish that is made from a combination of ingredients such as anchovies, capers, garlic, tomatoes and olive oil. The anchovies, tomatoes and other vegetables are first sautéed in a generous amount of olive oil. Other additives such as pepper and salt are added to the mixture which is then poured over the spaghetti. Once done, toppings can be added over the dish to garnish it. If you enjoy eating food with many different flavors then this is an Italian dish you simply should not pass up.
